Saint Gerard of Cenad and the Intellectual Disputes of the Year 1000

Abstract

This paper aims to situate St. Gerard of Cenad's position in apocalyptic millenarianism as differentia specifica in genus proximum of the doctrinal position of the Church, subscribing to the thesis that Gerard's position constituted an attempt to connect the Jewish apocalyptic literature and the Christian millennarialism. It argues that St. Gerard of Cenad used the hymnal poetry of the prophet Daniel not only in order to invocate as theological argument "the inter-Testamentary unit"the fact that, in hermeneutic terms, the Old Testament announces the New Testament or "the coming of Jesus" -, but also to criticize the arbitrary and unbelieving power and to transmit to it and to all those who "rise" against the faith, alike Nebuchadnezzar in olden times, an apocalyptic admonishment.